This invention relates to a method for making feedstock materials that can be injection molded to produce articles with improved physical properties, and a feedstock made thereby.
Polymer composite enclosure bodies provide light and durable protection for various equipment, particularly, for electronic gadgets. Some polymer composite enclosure bodies protect the highly complex inner workings of devices such as cameras, radios, cassette players, DVD players, CD players, TVs, and other portable devices of the modem age. Unfortunately, a belief has arisen in the consumer community that devices that have polymer or plastic enclosure bodies are inherently less sophisticated, less expensive, and less aesthetically appealing than metal enclosure bodies. Some attempts to address the aesthetic appeal have included using and/or applying various colors to polymer composites. Users frequently judge injection molded polymeric articles on the basis of their weight and also their tactile properties. Typically, the polymeric materials do not have enough weight or mass and also do not have good tactile properties to be aesthetically pleasing.
It is an object of this present invention to provide a material which is particularly suitable for injection molding so that the injection molded article will be aesthetically pleasing in terms of weight and tactile feel. This object is achieved by providing a method of making a feedstock for injection molding, including the steps of: mixing at a temperature of at least 100xc2x0 C. polymeric materials having a thermal conductivity in the range of 0.001 to 0.01 cal/cm-sec-xc2x0 C. wherein the polymeric materials are selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polystyrene, polyester, and polycarbonate or combinations thereof, and one or more materials selected from the group consisting of ceramics, ceramic composites, metals and metal alloys in a blended relationship to form a viscous phase mixture, the materials in the viscous phase mixture being selected so that when in a solid phase it has a density greater than 4 grams/cc and a thermal conductivity greater than 0.101 cal/cm-sec-xc2x0 C. and; cooling the blended viscous phase mixture to form the feedstock.
The advantages of the present invention include:
Developing a family of organic/inorganic composite feedstock which can be successfully utilized in manufacturing injection molded articles with superior mechanical, physical, and tactile properties.
Combining a very cost-effective feedstock which can be readily injection molded to form articles with enhanced mechanical, physical, and tactile properties.
Recognizing that articles made with a feedstock in accordance with the present invention can have high mechanical strength, can have small cross-sectional dimensions and can be made with reduced material cost and processing time.